Sins of Remembrance
by Alaster Boneman
Summary: Arya Stark's world has being torn down around her after the death of her farther and her escape of Kings landing she and her new friends most find away to survive and have vengeance against those who have wronged them. There alliances to be made and men to kill. Valar Morghulis AU. Arya/Gendry perhaps Sansa/Tyrion
1. Chapter 1 Dreams of Blood

**Sins of Remembrance**

AN. Frist: This story will mainly revolve around Arya, Gendry, but may also include Tyrion, Sansa and Daenerys with their respective circles of allies and foe's. Note this story will not be based on the books because I have not read the books, but I may at times borrow ideas from my limited understanding of them and add them to my story. I have nothing against them but I have a ton of books to read though already without adding GOT to that list. So if there is a character you would like to see from the books in here and they are not in the show than I'm sorry but I will have to disappoint you.

Second: I will more or less be following the shows plot in general but with offcourse there will be alterations. Just don't get your hopes up about happy endings and a lack of beheading or red weddings and stuff like that, if anything there will be more of that in this story.

Third: this will have romance and adult relationships and a lot of violence, hence the M rating, but don't worry there will be no rape nor will anyone be doing the deed before they are of legal age. Now don't get me wrong I am fully aware that both in the world of Game of Thrones and in our own history, girls/ woman and boys/man having relationships with older or younger partners were common place, I understand this but I cannot in good conscious have those kinds of relationships in this story for my own moral reasons.

fourth: I may follow the show but it is also AU. So if I don't include something or I do add something from either the show or books or my own interruption or imagination please keep this in mind.

I will not nor will I ever include modern technology or modern civilization references in this story the characters we all love or hate will stay in the world that has been introduced to us though Mr. George R. R. Martin works. Now saying that I will try to stay true to how people talk in the show but it may become necessity to write in modern English then sometimes old type English the show and books sometimes use.

Also I am not 100% familiar myself with the world or its history. So if I leave something out or add something in please do not message me about it or try to explain how I messed up for example. "Oh this was different in the books or shows bla bla bla" I love this world and its characters but as a casual fan who just wonts to add to it without diminishing what is already present I can only do what feels right for me and the flow of the story. So if I get PM's or reviews felled with pointless nit-picks I will not be happy.

UNERSTAND

Also throughout this story I may put quotes at the start chapter's prober but only when I feel they fit the mood of a chapter.

This story was made for none profit, HPO and George R. R. Martin own Game of thrones. I know nothing but my own delusions.

* * *

**Dreams of blood**

The day's light was gradually giving way to night. Birds wheeled in the sky singing their twilight songs. The country side was thick and wild, untouched by the meddling hand of man. Plants grew in tick rampart castors reaching for the distant sun that was now dropping over the horizon. Many animals roomed freely in this wild place their numbers allowed to flourished while the humans that ruled it, spent their time either plotting their schemes or killed each other in droves. The wilds and those who dwelled in the forests, woods or plans did not care who ruled all they care for was growing fat before the snow's fell and the dark times that were dawning ever closer, and those who came with the night.

In the thick undergrowth a young dire wolf known as Nymeria couched low in the bushes, her dark eyes fixed on her prey. Her thick fur was an equal mix of steel grey and white. The prey she and her pack stalked since the setting of the sun were now milling around a small murky pond. Most of the prey where short and hairy creatures, they had four thick stumpy legs and compacted faces with large flat noise's and pointed ears, some had small tusks that protruded from their large fleshy mouths. They sniffed and lazily pondered around the pool of water unaware of their impending doom.

Hunger gnawed at her belly as she could practically teste the fresh meat already. It took an effort to resist the urge to jump out of the under growth and rip into the prey animals. She knew her mate and the others of her pack must have felt the same hunger that ached inside her. As none of them had eaten anything like this feast in days, with only rabbits and smaller game to take the edge of their collective hunger. If they didn't make this kill they would soon turn on each other.

They could easily over power the slow and fat prey, but that flesh would satisfy some of members of her pack, it would not feed all of them. She tore her eyes away from the fat clumsy 'boars' and 'pigs' to a much larger prey animal that was warily scanning the

forest that surrounded the pond. The meat from this prey alongside the bores and pigs would easily feed the whole of her pack but they had to wait until he lowered his guard.

This animal was twice perhaps three times larger than any of the 'boars' that shuffled noisily around in the under growth eating whatever bounty hid under the carpet of dead leaves. This prey was tall and lean with long legs built for running and leaping. He had thick dark reddish fur and a small fluffy tail and a long neck and large thick head that tapered into a long muzzle with large horns that protruded from the top of his head. She remembered seeing this preys likeness before.

* * *

She was lost to the world for a moment as she recalled the memory. It was when the fat man had come to her home of cold stone. He had come with great clothes that had this prey likeness on them, like those of her mistress's father had her kind's likeness on their clothes. Why the humans had these clothes were beyond her. She had liked the fat man; he would feed her sibling's scrap's when her mistress's mother or the 'mean woman' was not around.

If only the fat human had not come with the 'wrong' boy and the 'mean woman'. They had ruined everything. The 'wrong' boy had not smelt right from the very beginning and she and her kin gave him a wide birth along with the 'mean' woman who reeked of her twin kin and their mating.

Her mistress's father, sister and many other humans along with the 'fat man' had taken both her and her sister kin away from her mistress home were they had left her brothers and journeyed south. Why the rest of her mistress's people did not also move south to escape the coming of the cold times was beyond her. Humans made no sense.

One day, many moons ago now, her mistress had been playing with a boy by a river when the 'wrong' boy and her mistress's sister had come. The wrong boy had threatened her mistress and her friend. She had defended her mistress without hesitation biting into the 'wrong' boys arm.

It had bought her much sadness to be sent away by her mistress latter that day. Her mistress had told her that the 'mean' woman would want to kill her for biting the 'wrong' boy. When they could have her they killed her sister kin instead. She had been many leagues away when she felt her sister's death. That made her angry and she longed to be by mistress's side once more so they could hunt and hurt the 'mean' woman and the 'wrong' boy.

* * *

Nymeria tore her mind away from the memory's, she could not show weakness to the pack.

She refocused her attention quickly glancing at her mate and her hunting party inturn. She and her mate along with a few others wolves, would drive the both the wild pigs and the stag into the jaws and claws of the rest of the pack that waited, hiding in the long grass just beyond the edge of the clearing.

Nymeria grinned, bearing her sharp teeth, the air of the gathering night cooled, filled her insides. She creped forward as quietly as she could. She looked to her mate. He was of her kin a dire wolf. He had found like her birth mother had found a way past the great ice wall.

His eyes were silver, his fur dark was as twilight with patches of dark red trim covering much of his underside; he was leaner in his build then her, dispute being three moons older. Though neither of them were, fully gown they towered over their lesser kin and he was not fully recovered from his captivity the scars that crossed his mussel and neck were a constant reminder of the cruelty of human's.

Not long after she had been sent away by her mistress, she had found him along with a number of lesser wolf kin having been captured by a grope of humans that forced them into bloody fights. She and her fledgling pack of lesser kin she had already dominated, stalked them though out the day waiting for them to fall sleep. When they did she and her fledgling pack attacked and in the chaos they freed her future mate and their number grew.

Since then he had become her equal and together they were the alphas of their ever growing pack that now numbered in dozens strong, and more wolves and wild dogs joined every day. She knew if the pack continued to grow like it this then these hunting grounds would no longer be able to support their number and they would have to turn their attention to the elsewhere if they didn't want to stave, especially with the cold times coming. That however was a concern for latter.

* * *

She waited for what seemed an age until the stag finally lowed his head and he started to sip the water, drool now issued from her open jaws as she panted.

It was now or never. She and her mate leaped from the bushes fallowed by several others wolves, their teeth bared. Two of the other wolves tore into the closest of the pigs. It squalled in alarm but it was too late as they tore into it ripping open its neck and spilling blood everywhere. Nymeria issued a low grow at them and they left the dying pig to join the rest of the packs assault. They could feed later. The pack came first.

They moved as one in a with wolves on either side of the pray to herd them with others a step or two behind their fellows to creating a tight 'U' shape keeping the pigs and stag herded and preventing any of the panicking prey away from the thick under growth were they might escape. The pack pushing them towards were the other members of their pack that waiting just beyond the clearing hidden by the long grasses.

A few of the boars tried to flee back free the coned the pack had forged around them the pack pushed them back into place, they bit and clawed at the prey keeping them herding them to the towards the trap and the soon to be killing ground. A large boar closer to Nymeria managed to push one of her lesser kin away and tried to flee, she cut it off, in its desperation it rammed its meaty shoulder into her.

She may not have been fully grown but she was still much bigger than any of her lesser wolf kin. She was more than able to meet its assault head on. She let out a low grow and snapped at the pig, her jaws clamped around the side of its face, her sharp teeth ripping into it soft flesh. The pig squealed and tried to fight her, she was to strong. She ripped a chuck of bloody meat away for the squalling pig's face. It learned its lesson and was pushed back into the herd. The pack finally pushed the pigs and stag into the open grass field where the rest of the pack sprung from their hiding places and charged in to their prey.

* * *

Now was time for the kill.

Wolves and wild dogs of all shapes and sizes ripped into the boars killing many of them without incident. Some of the prey tried to fight back, but they were inevitable overcome by the sheer weight of numbers and in short order the last of the boars fell even as the pack started to feed on the first one.

The stag however managed to kick one of the smaller wolfs in face, there was a loud crack sound of hoof on bone. The wolf that had been smacked by the stag fell to the ground and did not move. He was dead.

Nymeria saw this and felt anger boil inside her and leaving the pig she had just disembowelled behind, she charged at the stag. The stag saw her and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. She belatedly noticed her mate following close behind. The stag leaped away from Nymeria and her mate but they were able to keep up with it.

She ran faster, her four paws barley hitting the ground, her muscles burned she ignored the felling. She would see this prey killed for taking one of her pack away from her. She leaped at the stag but only managed to latch on his side. Her sharp claws tore into the stag's flanks. She howled her rage before sinking her teeth into the stag's flack. Blood filled her mouth.

The stag bucked trying to unseat her but her claws and teeth held firm. Then the stag jumped over a fallen log, she lost her grip as she fell to the ground. As she shook herself from the force of the fall, just as her mate tore into the stag. He had managed to mount the stag, biting into the prey's neck, winded but still very much alive the stag bucked and her mate was unseated but managed to land on his paws.

The stag was half dead, blood pouring from his many wounds. He must have known his life was nearing its end. The stag turned and stared at Nymeria, their eyes locked. The stag hooted and brayed as he charged he lowered his horns so to ram her. Nymeria held her ground until the last possible moment then she ducked out of the way.

To late the stag realized his mistake, he was heading straight into a nearby tree. The stag hit the tree with enough force to make leaves fall to the ground. The stag was dazed and wobbled on his feet but somehow still remained standing upright.

Nymeria launched herself at the stag and in one swift movement she camped her bone crushing jaw's around his neck. Her teeth tearing into her preys flesh and with a twist of her body powerful mussels she snapped the stag's neck his blood felled her mouth. She let the stag drop dead to the ground as she howled her triumph at the moon that filled the night sky.

* * *

Arya Stark awoke with a start, her hand immediate went to the hilt of her sword Needle that was sheathed at her hip. She slowly realised she was not in danger and she calmed herself as she slowly blinked away the last vestiges of sheep. Her mind still addled from her dream. 'Had it just been a dream?' she asked herself silently. It seemed so real, more like a memory. She shook the thought form her mind, denying it, even as she did so she tasted blood in her mouth.

The morning sun rays forced their way through the tops of the trees that lined the muddy road that the Night watch caravan had been traveling the last few days. She only now realized that she had a well-worn blanket wrapped around her. Surprise filled her as her hand drifted across the rough cloth blanket; she was sure she hadn't had a blanket yesterday night. Her dark grey eyes searched and found that bull headed black smith slummed up adjust a nearby tree without a blanket, when she distantly recalled him having one last night.

Gendry that idiot, how many times had she told him she didn't need any help! But no, ever since he had figured out she was a girl, much to her embarrassment. Then she just had to go and tell him she was a Stark. 'What in seven hells had she being thinking' he had been doing her favors. From giving her a little more soup or broth that Yoren dished out at meal time, to helping her with cores like gathering fire wood or looking for fresh game. So they wouldn't have to eat the Night watch's poor exercise for food or like last night giving her blankets and such. 'Gods be good' she thought grumpy, she was from the North, it's wasn't like the cold ever bothered her anyway!

She huffed. 'What did he get out of treating her like some high and mighty lady, who was content to stay in her lord's tower all day to do nothing but sow and produce babies? She shuddered at the thought. Hadn't she proven her metal? Hadn't she show him that she knew about as much, about been a spoilt lady as he did?' She more than pulled her weight around camp, irritation swelling in her heart as she slowly stood up, as she did so pain lanced though her guts, it felt like they were being squeezed, after a moment the discomfit lessened slightly. She scrunched the blanket into a rough ball and stomped over to were Gendry slept, slumped up adjusts a nearby tree.

Arya shook him, but he still slept snoring like the black headed bull he was. She studied him for a moment, he had pitch black hair and strong check bones he had a board honest face with the tinniest hint of stubble starting to grow on his chin and upper lip, for some reason he reminded her of paintings she had seen of the late king Robert Baratheon in his youth. He was only three years older than her at six and ten and big for his age, probably equal in height and build to her older brothers Jon and Robb perhaps even a little bigger, his muscles built from years of working a forge. She had seen him bathing once with the other men. She didn't want to stare but couldn't tear her eyes away from him much to her annoyance. When she had chance to see him shirtless she felt a strange feeling she had never felt before run though her body. She pushed these thoughts out of her mind as her irritation and replaced the oddly warm feelings that were welling up inside her, she kicked him in the thigh. He awoke with a start much like she had a few moments early when she awoke from her 'dream'. His right hand absently clutched at the steel helmet that was shaped like a bulls head that he kept with him at all times.

Gendry belatedly looked up to see Arya standing over him, looking quite annoyed which of course came as no surprise to him. She was usually annoyed about one thing or another; her grey eyes bored into his. "Ary ... Arry …wha…what's going on?" he said his normally deep voice waved with uncertainty as he awoke. The morning's light chose that moment to stream though the canopy of the trees that lined the road and strait into his still sleep heavy eyes. Arya was silhouetted adjust the morning light. For a moment all he could make out the outline of her figure the dawn's light which highlighted the womanly aspects of her body, he realised absently they were becoming more and more noticeable. No matter how desperately she tried to hide them away with her baggy well-worn brown pants, undershirt, tan jacket and belt.

Despite her valiant efforts to hide her true identity and gender, her body marched on words to womanhood. He wondered absently now much longer she could continue her masquerade? By the way her hips were starting to widen and the small mounds that indicated the budding of her breasts, her efforts to bind them and hide them away were proving more ineffective every day that pasted. She would likely have another month maybe two or three at the most to continue her masquerade as a boy before the other men in their caravan started to notice, it was the luck of the gods that they hadn't already.

When they first met before leaving Kings landing her disguise had even fooled him. He however was able to put two and two together faster than most of the idiots they traveled with, were able to. He was or at least had been for most of his life had been an armorer apprentice before his master old Mott had sent him away not long after the king Robert Baratheon and been hurt on one of his hunts and the madness that soon fallowed.

Gendry had interacted with enough ladies who were dragged to the armory by their lord husbands or fathers to see past her act or the few looking at armour for them self's, like that one woman some thing of Tarth. Not that any of them every payed him any attention and neither was he was bold enough to try his luck. He was still able to see past Arya's act though. The way her hips moved when she walked. The way she held her self, not to mention the time it took for her to take a piss.

However he knew, with the changers to her body it was only a matter of time before she was found out. She had shed the last of her 'baby fat' around her face while they had be traveling, reveling a well-rounded, cute face that was emphasized by her dark grey eyes and small nose and brown hair that was growling longer and darker encircling her head and ended mid way down her neck. It suited her he though.

Gendry shock himself of the thought, he couldn't think of her like that. She was a high born lady and he was nothing more than a common black smith and besides she wasn't what most men would call a classic beauty, though she may well be one day. Not that he would tell her any of this if he could help it. She would probably beat him up if he did and been beaten up by a three and ten girl half his size didn't help his self-esteem any. Even though she was a girl and a high born at that, she knew how to fight and was probably better at it then him. She had pulled his ass out of the fire when he had a disagreement that turned ugly with some of the older men in the caravan, of course that didn't make him feel any better about himself but violence was never his strong suit and he hoped it never would be.

"What do you think this is?" Arya said with a grumpy yet quite hiss shaking the blanket that she held in her right hand that was closed into a fest, at him.

"Have you lost sense?" Gendry muttered as he pulled himself off the cold damp ground. He now towered over her, despite nearly being twice her size but Arya didn't seem to notice the difference in height and build between them. "You were cold, you'd looked like needed it!" He said grumpily.

Arya's glare intensified. "I'm from the north idiot, last night was like a midsummer day for me!" she said hotly, throwing the blanket at him which he caught. She put her hands on her hips.

Gendry shook his head, disbelief filling his face "Not from what I saw last night, you were as cold as the rest of us.. Shivering and such and you were even talking in your sleep" Gendry told her grumpily. It figured she would be ungrateful, he really should have just kept to himself like old Mott had told him when he'd been sent away and left with no were else to go but the Night's watch but he just couldn't let well enough alone.

"I was not" she barked at him than she thought back to her dream. "Was I?" Arya asked the sharp edge to her voice was lost in uncertainty. She crossed her arms around herself as she suddenly she felt very cold indeed, her guts twisted painfully. To distract herself, she absently looked up to the sky to see heavy clouds move across the blue horizon. Those were the same kind of clouds that had, for as long as she could remember hanging over Winterfell. A chill ran down her spine as her family's words 'Winter is coming' echoed in her soul. That doom laden prediction was going to become true sooner rather than later. She could already feel it in her blood, in her very soul in everything that made her a Stark. How long until the snows fell, how long before the long night? Months, weeks, every day that passed brought the cold closer. This summer had been nine years long and all she had known though out most of her life, however she had been born near the end of the last winter.

Arya could only recall the faintest of memories of the dark cold that never ended. She had spent the first three years of her life knowing only the cold. Unlike her two younger brothers, Brain had been born when the sun had already beaten back the night and Rickon had only ever known the summer.

Gendry saw the worry edge into her stance as she shifted uneasily from foot to foot, it was a strange sight to see her worried or fearful, Arya almost always portrayed an air of cold resolve that Northern peoples were famed for. Now though she looked was anything, but the stoic Northern lady he had gotten to know over the last few months , her fear also betrayed her youth making her look like any other girl or boy for that matter that was wise enough to fear the coming dark of winter. "It's nothing to fret over Arry, we will be all right... and you be with you family soon enough" he said kindly putting one of his strong hands on her shoulder.

Her left hand moved and briefly touched his hand, a crooked smile filled Gendry's face. Her heart beat faster as a warm feeling started to grow with in her, she felt the begging's of a genuine smile start to pull at her mouth, the first one since…. that terrible day. As if conquered by her stay thoughts her smile was cut short as the memory of her father's death pressed into her mind.

* * *

The sun was bright almost blinding. The sky was the bluest she had ever seen, she was so hungry she hadn't eaten a full meal in days, resorting to stealing bread and half rotten fruit from merchants that were not paying attention to their wares or catching the odd rat or pigeon. She clung to the leg of a statue of some long dead hero or king. His name lost and irrelevant, she saw her father, being all but dragged by the kings guards, still limping from his fight with king slayer Ser Jaime Lannister and his men weeks before.

So much had happened since then. The old king, Robert Baratheon had been mortally wounded on a hunting trip and died soon after a leaving his 'son' that bastard Joffrey, king of Westeros, gods help the seven kingdoms. Something she didn't know nor care what had gone wrong. They had captured Sansa and killed their reaming house hold guards and imprisoned their father. Her sword instructor and friend Syrio Forel had bought her time to flee to the streets of Kings landing helping her to escape the Queen's grasp with his life.

Now the Queen and her ass kissing toadies lied, they always lied. Joffrey lied about her and friend Mycah attacking him by the river months ago. Sansa lied to protect her precious prince and what did that get her? Nothing except the death of lady her dire wolf.

Now they were lying again. They said her father was a traitor, that he plotted adjust his old friend Robert Baratheon and planned to take the Iron Throne for himself. Lies all of them lies!

Her father looked so weak, so tired, he had never looked weak before. He shouldn't have looked anything but the strong; he was the lord of Winterfell. His face was fin and bruised; those bastards had beaten and starved him. Not one of them was brave enough to face him in at his best. Now they dragged in around and stood him in front of the crowd like he was some freak in a traveling show, the high lady's and lords including a distort Sansa stood behind him, for once Arya saw that Sansa was using her brain and saw the Queen and Joffrey and the rest of 'them' for what they were, too little too late.

Her father was no freak; nor was he a traitor; he was Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell and warden of the North.

The crowed was screaming for blood and yelled mindless obscenities. "Traitor" the idiots yelled. "Murderer" they screamed "liar, thief, Hoe son" the common folk brayed as they throw stones and rotten fruit at him.

Arya felt hate burn within her. How could these idiots not see the truth! How dare these sheep bray at the wolf! She wanted to kill them all. Man, woman and child. It was the first time she ever felt pure blind hate. Even the anger she felt about the lie's the Queen and Joffrey had told while on the king's road about Mycah, Nymeria and her attacking him was nothing compared to this.

Then her father started to give voice to the Queen's lies. She wouldn't repeat those lies not even in her own memories. He wanted to protect Sansa and her, and the rest of their house.

At the end of her fathers 'speech' Joffrey said the words that would live on in Arya's nightmares. "Ser Ilyn bring, me his head!" Joffrey sneered.

For Arya time seemed to fall away. She jumped from the statue and raced towards her father pushing screaming small folk aside.

Ser Ilyn took her family's sword "Ice" from its massive sheath.

Her hand fumbled for Needle, she had to save him. Time was running out.

Ser Ilyn held Ice high in the air, the sun's light gentling of its massive swords edge.

She had just managed unclasp her own sword Needle and was started to bring it out of its sheath. She would kill them all and take her father and sister back to Winterfell and everything would be all right and they wouldn't have to deal with the wretched liars and schemers of kings landing ever again.

Less than ten matters away from where her father kneeled at the executioners block his face resolved. Sweat and tears poured down her face. She had to save him, she had to, strong hands griped her arm and she was yanked from her path. It was Yoren of the Nights Watch. He was a big man with dark brown hair and dark eyes; he wore a black leather jacket typical of the Night's watch. She faintly remembered him going to see her father some weeks ago "You don't what to see this boy" he told her.

"I'm not a boy" she cried starting to loss her strength, she was just so hungry. "Let me go I got to save him" she had cried but she knew it was too late but she didn't care. She struggled, she kicked and bite but Yoren's grip did not fail.

Yoren griped her face and made her look him in the eye "Look at me boy it's too late for him" he held her to his chest so that she wouldn't see what came next.

She felt hot tears run her checks as they poured from her eyes and a cold rage built in her heart but she knew at least for now it would do her no good. The screaming of the crowed was like the wailing of a great storm pushing all other noise out of the world. She saw out the corner of her eye, 'ice' fall in a great arc.

Then there was no noise. No pain. No tears. Only hate. She made a promise then that she would keep to the end of her days. She would make them pay.

Joffrey

Cersei Lannister

Ser Ilyn Payne

Meryn Trant 'the man who killed Syrio Forel'

Ser Sandor Clegane, the Hound 'who killed Mycah'

Somehow she would make them pay make them all pay.

* * *

The memory fell away as Arya felt cold rage build with in her but she pushed it down, savoring it. Gendry must have seen that anger reflected in her eyes and gave her shoulder a sympathy squeeze. She gave him a thankful smile a kind half smile and took his hand of her shoulder but she knew it didn't reach her eyes. Shaken by the moment she scratched the back of her head before a grimace filled her face. Taking her hand away from her head and crossed both her arms over her chest before meeting Gendry gaze. "Well thanks…sorry about kicking you" she muted.

Gendry smiled at her but waved away her clumsy apology. "It an't nothing you'll probably end up kicking me again" he said with amusement filling his voice before scratching the dark hairs growing on his chin. "Mi-lady" he added quietly.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" she said her words trailing of as she saw his grin widen he was trying to get a rise out of her or make her feel better, the idiot. Her face bunched up in restrained anger and she gave him a mighty push but hitting him was like hitting a stone wall. Gendry started to snicker. "Shut up!" Arya said grinning and punched him playful on the shoulder. Gendry pulled an exaggerated pained expression while he made a show of rubbing his shoulder.

"What you, two yammering about?" Hot pie asked as he absently, wondered over to them from where he slept hear the fire that Yoren and a few of the other men and the older boys had set up to warn off the night's cold. He had light brown hair and watery brown eyes, he was heavy set and short, his dirty well-worn cloths barley contained his girth. Both Arya and Gendry were amazed that despite their small groups lack of prober food that Hot Pie was still as fat as the day they all met. "Can't you see some of us are trying to get some sleep?" he said with a heavy yawn.

"Sorry Hot Pie didn't mean to wake you" Gendry said with a shrug as Arya brushed some of her brown hair out of her face. By now most of the other 'men' were beginning to stir either as a result of his no so quite augment with Arya or because of the sun that was even now rising in the sky.

* * *

Gendry, Arya and Hot Pie chatted as they slowly walked up and fell in line with the other men and boys taking bowls of soup Yoren was dishing out from a large pot. It was left over's from the night before, kept warm during the night by the fire that he and his fellow night watch men had kept going throughout the night, keeping an eye out for any night time predators or any sign of the gold cloaks that had approached them a week or so ago back on the kings road looking for Gendry of all people. Which was why Yoren had them slogging through these back roads for the last few days, to avoid attention even though he knew it wasn't for his sake. Gendry still wondered what the gold cloaks could possible want with him? No doubt it was the bad luck the Gods had seemed to cruse him with was striking again.

Gendry knew nothing about the games the high lords and ladies played nor why the gold cloaks wanted him, all he knew was if they got him they would also find Arya. That would not end well for the North, though why he cared about the fate of the North was beyond him. Arya was his friend and despite her manners, or lack thereof, Arya didn't deserve to be held ransom by the Lannister's and that idiot boy king. He shook these thoughts from his mind as it came to his turn to take his bowl of soup, then came Hot Pie's turn. When it came to Arya's turn Yoren pulled her a side.

Yoren griped Arya's arm and pulled her away from the line drawing the, attention of those still waiting for their soup. He pulling her to the side of the muddy road were they were out of ear shoot of every one "Gir ..Boy what in seven hells you think yar doing? Talking to those two?" Yoren asked her quietly gesturing with his head at the Gendry and Hot Pie, the first of whom looked alarmed the latter was more interested in devouring his soup.

Arya tried to pull out of his grip but he was to strong, she caught Gendry's eye as he started to walk over to her, worry filling on his handsome face. She dissuaded him with a shake of her head "What does it matter to you who I talk to?" Arya asked with an anger hiss.

"It matters because if they find out, Who you are! I can't stop em from yammering to every folk we meet on the road as well as this lot." Yoren told her waving his free hand in a wave indicating the rest of the men and boys that milled around their camp. "Before you know it we got Gold cloaks looking for you as well as that boy and next time they'll bring more than two men. Your lord father gods rest him, was a good man and your family have always been good to the watch but they an't worth me or this lot meeting the Stanger!"

She glared at him, what was she supposed to do? Not talk anyone in till they reached Winterfell and she could slip away without anyone noticing? Others take his eyes, she'd go mad before then if that's what he intended "Maybe I should just leave than, if the gold cloaks make you wail like a girl" Arya said returning his hard glare. "Unless you don't want the gold and favor my brother and mouther will give you and the rest of the nights watch for getting me safely to Winterfell?"

Yoren gave the girl a hard glare, she currently had her family's spirit in her alright perhaps even more than her late father. He had always been a quiet soul or so said his brother who served as one of the watches best rangers had often told him. Life on the road though had a way of Harding folk. "Oh nice try Arry you wouldn't last more than a week out there on your own" he said his voice mocking "Just make sure you watch yourself… boy." He left her go. "Oh before I forget take some soup to that scum in the cage." He said loudly so everyone with in ear shot would just assume that he was just telling her to do more around the camp.

Arya gave him a cold glace but nodded. Yoren might have been a bit of ass but he was no fool nor was he a coward he was just trying to look out for her in his own way. She went back to the large soup put. There wasn't much left and what was had gotten cold during her conversation. She took the three of the remaining rough wooden bowls and using the large wooden ladle that had sunk into the brownish mass of soup. She scoped the soup into the bowls. She felt her guts twist in revelation as the smell of the soup hit her nose. It had a thick rancid smell the kind she recalled smelling from the kitchens of kings landing when she had being forced to live on the streets after her father had been betrayed.

* * *

Having filled the bowls to nearly to their brim she walked over to the cage that held three men, two were scum through and through, the kind that if they were to meet with Needle's pointy end, no one would miss them. The third man however the man called Jaqen H'ghar…. He was something else.

She approached the cage pushing down the tiny morsel of fear that tried to worm its way into her heart when dealing with the scum. The two gutter scum had threated her many times over the last few weeks. Balancing the three bowls in one hand she carefully put her free hand around the hilt of a small knife she kept hidden in her pants, most people in the caravan believed that her only means of defiance was Needle. The knife wasn't particularly sharp but it would give any would be attacker reason enough for pause.

Luckily for her the two ass ugly gutter scum were still a sleep despite the noise of the camp and the bright morning sun. Jaqen H'ghar however was very much awake, he smiled at her but the smile looked wrong as if it didn't belong on his face. He was a strange one, Arya though to herself as she approached the cage.

He was a slight, tall man with long hair that had the colour of blood with a steak of sliver marking his age, he had a handsome face, but he was handsome in an unassuming way. Then there were his eyes, pale blue they she thought were kind eyes but they held a strange kind of darkness with in them. As if he had long ago had embraced violence but found no joy in it, his stare always made her uncontrollable. It seemed to her that Jaqen also had a strange effect on those around him. It was as if most people even those two scum, he shared a cage with, were only partly aware of his presence yet somehow she was all too aware of him. She shook the thought from her mind.

"It seems the man is most fortunate that the boy has not forgotten his friend" the man Jaqen H'ghar said in his foreign ascent was gentle like silken sheet or honey and but never left a lasting impression.

"So are we friends now are we?" Arya asked quietly so not to wake up Jaqen H'ghar's cage mates.

Jaqen H'ghar raised one thin eye brow "One in the Boy's position could use as many friends as he could get. This land is a dangerous one no?" Jaqen said waving a hand around indicating the camp and the surrounding woods. "It is only a pity that the boy could not help the man out of this cage, the man's company is less than adequate" he said with a subtle edge of annoyance in his silken voice as he looked at the two men he shared a cage with barley restrained disgust.

Arya glanced at the two other man and nodded in agreement, she couldn't tell which one of them was uglier, one was fat with hair swarming with lice, his face was a mess of blisters and welts that fat fly's buzzed around. The other one was skinny as a rack and had a face that looked like it had been kicked in by a horse and hat rotten teeth and even through the cage he smelt of piss. "Maybe the man should have thought of that before doing he ever did that got himself, locked up!" she surged "Then the man would not have ended up stuck in that cage with those two!" she told him mocking tone.

Jaqen's smile broadened but it was the same smile a cat would have before catching a mouse. "The Boy has some wit but he speaks truly enough, the man deserves this cage, at least for the time been." He said then his smile faded into a warm grin "It would seem the many faced god does indeed have a sense of humor" he said quietly his voice almost a whisper

"Many faced god?" Arya asked a frown forming on her face. She had never heard of that god before.

Jaqen looked almost surprised that Arya had managed to over hear him. "It's seems the girl is better at listening than most, that is a rare skill in these times" he said quietly his interest peaked "Tell the man, Girl how she come to here?" Jaqen asked quietly.

Arya's face fell and her heart quickened, how could he have known? It was impossible that he could of paid enough attention to her comings and goings to see though her as easily as Gendry had. Had the story that she and Yoren's that had cooked up as he got her out of kings landing, hiding her among the other boys and men heading to the wall been so see though? That both a black smith apprentice from flea bottom and Jaqen H'ghar, who she had barley talked to over the last few months, could have discovered her secret, what else did he know? Had he also somehow found out she was a Stark? Her free hand griped Needles handle, if he knew she would have to kill him. Her heart raced in her chest her breath caught in her throat. Beads of sweet started to pore form her face. She would have to do it, she didn't want to but she would have to so he wouldn't expose her.

Fortunately his line of questioning and her doom laden thoughts were cut short when the two gutter scum that shared the cage started to awaken. As they did he gave her a look as if to say her secret was safe with him as his face became calm and disinterested.

The fat one was the first to wake up "Look-y what we got here, looks like the little shit had bought us some food" the fat one said nudging his friend in the ribs.

"Give it here you little rat" the skinny one said in a croaky voice.

Annoyance briefly flowed across Jaqen's face at been interrupted "Now is that's no way to thank this kind boy for bringing us food?" he said his voice a gentle was the breeze.

The fat man sneered. "What business of it is yours you foreign bastard?"

"Ya don't yar go try and pretend your any better than us, the way I heard it yar killed a man, some bastardy lord or knight wasn't it?" the skinny man asked his fat friend absently, the fat man only surged.

Arya took a step back from the cage "You killed a lord or a Knight who was it...why?" she asked Jaqen.

Jaqen "The man may have the one to give the gift but the name of the one that received the gift was spoken by another and not by the man" he said cryptically "The man regrets that the gift was not as elegant as it was meant to be.." Jaqen said trailing off looking completely unperturbed by admitting to murder, by the way he spoke, it sounded to Arya like only thing that Jaqen H'ghar was regretful for was that, the kill was not elegant.

Troubled by this revelation Arya wordless opened a part of the cage that had a small tray attached to it, put the bowls on it. Distracted as she was she had no time to yell out or draw Needle or the knife hidden in her pants as the skinny man lunged forward griping her arm and pulled her, smacking her face first into the cold metal bars leaving her dazed. The fat man then reached forward and started to take Needle out of its sheath. The fat whispered in her ear "ye should of given us water a few days back when ye had the chance now I'm going to sick…" his voice tailed of as he got a closer look at her chest. "Look-lee here looks like the little gutter boy is really a girl" he said licking his lips. One of his big hands reached forward as if to touch her budding right breast.

In a flash of movement Jaqen H'ghar hit the inside of skinny man's arm that was pulling in Arya to the cage with such force to it to snap the bone the skinny man rolled back on his hunches screaming in pain. Then Jaqen H'ghar wrapped one of his arms around the fat man's neck. He produced a small knife from what seemed out of nowhere and pocked into the soft flesh of the fat man's throat. "You will let the girl go and speak of her true gender to no one or the man will skewer you like the pig you are, slowly so the pig feels ever drop of blood that he loses until he is claimed by the black"

The fat man's eyes went wide "Why do you care foreigner this little bitch has done you know favor's!" the fat man choked as he swallowed the knife dew a bead of blood from his neck. Jaqen H'ghar didn't answer he only tightened his hold on the fat man's neck. "…..fine… ye… foreign fucker I let her…him go and I won't tell a soul I swear to the Seven" the fat man choked out and he let her go.

Arya still dazed almost fell on her back but rallied and checked herself she was more or less unharmed expect for some scrapes and bruises, even her weapons were let un-touched. She glared at the man who had tried to defile her. She pulled out her Needle from its sheath and marched towards the cage only to be held in place by Yoren who had a thunderous expression. Undoubtedly he had seen what the scum had tried to do or had herd the scream of pain from the skinny man.

"Are you all right boy?" he asked gently. She nodded wordlessly. He turned his angered glare to the men in the cage. "Men of the nights watch do not attack their own but you three are not men and are un-worth of joying the watch. As is my right I sentence you three to death."

Arya regained her composer "Yoren, don't" she said sharply,Yoren face filled with confusing. "If you kill them this lot" she waved her hand to indicate the men and boys packing up the camp around them. "are going to wounder why you would kill three future man of the watch for an orphan boy with bearly a scratch on him" she told him her words barely a wisper.

Yoren eyed her coolly as he mulled her words over "yar make a fine point, but if they touch any else thier dead" he spate. He called Gendry and Hot Pie over they were on the other side of the camp washing dishes. "You two take Arry to the steam get him washed up and something to eat" he said shooting the men in the cage a deadly glare befor walking off too help to of the other night watchman and a hand full of boys pack up one of the wagon's.

* * *

Arya started shaking as the realization of what was nearly done to her dawned, she felt like she was going to be sick her guts twisted once more painful then ever before. Gendry took off his jacket leaving him with his tight sleeveless shirt over his board chest and he wrapped the jacket around her slight frame while holding her close. He saw fat tears start to from in her eyes and caught Hot Pie's mystified gaze. He couldn't blame the younger boy's confusion Arya was usually the strongest of their group fierce like a wolf but she had been shaken by those two scum bag's attacks. "Hot Pie go, and see if you can rustle up some food for Arry, and try not to eat it before s...he can!" he told the plum, grim faced boy.

For a moment Hot Pie looked offended but realized that Gendry wasn't trying to be hurtful he nodded and wondered back to the camp to look for any spare food that by have survived the camp backing their fast.

Arya felt like she going to be sick her guts were twisting and she felt pain shoot though her body. "ugg… Gendry I think I'm going to be sick…" she said trailing of and pain lanced tough her. Leaving her confused, she had received worse betting when her favorite horse back in winter fell had tossed her once, she faintly resized the pain was mainly in her guts and around her woman hood. Fear lanced though her as Gendry brought her to a small fast flowing stream just beyond the trees that lined the road. Her eyes absently travelled down to center of her hips she could see a dark strain forming on the cloth. "No, no, no!" she said her voice full of panic. "It can't be its too soon!"

Gendry addition was drawn by her panicked words "What's too soon? What are you talking about?" he asked as he filled a small water pooch with the clear water of the stream and was about to hand her the water, when he saw the dark stain, in the center of her pants. "God's, be good please don't tell me that's what I think it is?" he more stated then out right asked.

Arya nodded barley hearing his words as the pain seemed to intensify she felt hot and cold spasms run though her.

Gendry mouth flapped uselessly for a few moments like a fish that was stolen from the water "But Arya your only three and ten… an't girls meant to have their first blood when their at least four and ten?" he asked as panic start to taking root in his heart.

"Don't you think I know that stupid?" she said trailing of "... my mother once told me and Sansa that it can happen sooner or later then that, seven hells she told us that one of her sisters didn't have her fist blood till she was six and ten…" Arya told him feeling her eyes well up with unshed tears as the pain started to ebb away. She saw Gendry grimace and she felt bad for calling him names when he was just trying to help her. "I'm sorry Gendry…." She said tailing off, she looked at his handsome face and met is blue eyes that for some reason they always reminded her of the King Robert's eyes, the same deep stormily blue the sky's would take on before a storm. "Gendry what am I going to do?"

Gendry was unsure of what he could say to comfort the young Stark girl, he herd footsteps approach and in a moment of panic he shoved Arya in the stream, it was only a foot or so deep but the water would wash away her blood and make sure who ever approached would not discover the truth about Arya. As she trashed in the water for a moment letting out a stream of curses and swears that would make a dunk sailor blush, he saw Hot Pie and their skinny blonde headed friend Lommy walk through the line of bushes. They were both caring a bowls. Out the corner of his eye he saw Arya raise from the water her gray eyes full of fury, she looked like a drowned rat, her brown hair was plastered to her face and water trickled down her body. He could see she was seething with rage. "Arry I can explain…"

"You Bull headed arrg!" she yelled as she pounced on Gendry before he could finish, despite the weight and size difference between them, her fury lent her the strength she needed to pinned him to the ground. She started kicking and punching him with all her might. It was all Gendry could do to try and protect himself from her attack.

Lommy shot a bewildered look at Hot Pie who was snorting like a pig; he was barely able to keep his bowl full of soup from spilling. "Shouldn't we break them apart or something?" Yamma asked his quite squeaky voice was filled with uncertainty.

Hot Pie shorted "Are you joking? ..." he said laughed even harder as he saw Arry try and punch Gendry in the gut. Gendry now started to fight back but it was obvious that he didn't know how to fight. "Any way, do you what to get in the middle of that?" Hot Pie asked as Gendry managed to flip Arry on 'his' back and the smaller boy was now trying to kick the teenager's man hood. "And besides they look too busy to eat this, more or me, I mean us!" he laughed and he and Lommy walked back to the camp.

Gendry belatedly realize that he Arya were alone but he couldn't get a word in edge wise as she fought like a rabid animal. While they fought his clothes had become soaked though as they wrestled. He managed to pin both of Arya's wrists with his left hand and he pinned her legs with his own, almost mounting her, his right hand was on her chest pining her to the ground. His heart beat like a war drum in his chest, blood flushed his face as Arya stopped fighting him and instead looked up at him her grey eyes wide. Only now did he realize, his right hand was grabbing her budding right breast. He let go immediately and looked away from her. What in seven hells was he thinking? He got up and sat down on a nearby rotting log looking away as the blush that had filled his face started to fade.

Arya's heart was beating rapidly even as she tried to push down the hot flush that ran though her at Gendry's closeness. It felt like her blood was boiling when he accidently held her breast in his hand. She had never felt anything like that before. She was furious at herself for the reaction and the oddly pleasant fleeing that swelled with in her, what in seven hells way wrong with her? She pushed those thoughts down as far as they could go and she slowly walked over to where he sat on a rotting log put one of her hands on Gendry's shoulders his gazed out word and away from her. "Gendry?" she asked her voice quite. He didn't respond. "Gendry look at me!" she commanded in her most authorize voice. Again he didn't meet her gaze. Fed up she pulled his ear.

"Aww" Gendry shouted glaring at her. "What in seven hells is wrong with you?"

"I could ask you the same thing!" Arya asked trying to squeeze water out of her clothing.

Gendry looked thoughtful and a grimace formed on his face "Look Arya I don't we should be friends anymore"

Arya was a gashed "WHAT? Has the others taken Yar sence?" She asked hotly her voice rising with her anger.

He was grim faced "You're a girl Arya…not only that but you're a lady." Gendry told her plainly. He saw her anger building turning her small face turning red as her hands clutched into fists. She was no doubt going to ague he spoke up before she could. "I know you don't like been called that but you are and if anyone found out what I just did…" he trailed of.

She punched him on the shoulder as hard as she could making him fall of the rotten log he sat on. "Now you listen to me right know Gendry Waters or by all the gods I will kick you so hard in the balls that I won't be the only girl in this caravan any more, you get me?" she asked putting her foot on his chest. She saw him swallow and nod. "You didn't do anything wrong and in case you forgot I was the one who attacked you and high born or not you don't let people get away with hurting you." She said taking her foot of his broad chest and offered her hand which he took. He stood up and dusted himself of. "You fight back"

"But I touched you're…" Gendry swallow nervously as he trailed of.

Arya shrugged but looked away as a blush filled her pale face. "So what if you did? As long as you don't make a habit of it…" she said trailing staring at the ground at her feet, she couldn't let him know that she liked it…even a little. "So friends?" she asked looking up to stare at him.

Gendry scratched the back of his head as his mouth formed a grin. "Yar sure… I mean if I didn't say yes you probably kill me right?" he asked a chuckle in his voice.

She grinned looking up at him "let's just say your prospects for survival without me looks grim and besides you're the only one besides Yoren and me in the caravan with half a brain. Who else am I going to talk to?" she said as she started to giggle.

"You bring up a good point mi-lady" Gendry said laughing he saw her lunge for him but he dodged out of her way. Her cute face turned red and he started running back in the detraction of the camp Arya close on his heels, her laughter filling the morning air like music.

* * *

Next chapter, On the road to nowhere.

please review

Au. I am fully away Arya was not 13 when she first left kings landing and was on the road with the night's watch. I believe in the books she was 8 or 9 and in the show they never tell you her age out right. You have to judge for yourself but at least to me she looked around 11 / 12. If you like her older or younger that's fine but I think 13 is just a better age for her and being there is now only what three years between her and Gendry and it wouldn't be so creepy that he started to notice the changes in her body.

The other thing her first blood, I know that girls tend to have it around when they are 14 or so and originally I was going to make her 14 but I thought better of it to bring it in more in line what I think her age was in the show at the time. I have read that it can happen early or even latter then that so I don't see the harm and pluse drama. and also in this story they along with ever one else will age and I may also skip a head in time but I will try and detail what has being happening when I do this and I will try and forces those sections on one of the other characters I have in the line up.

I also aged Gendry down a bit just so he and Arya were around the same age to avoid creepiness like a 18 to 20 something year old peeving on someone half his age. And like Arya I don't think they ever say his age out right in the show hell I don't think they say it in the books either. I'm pretty sure in the books he doesn't have any feelings for her at least not in that way and in the show it's more implied then out right said. this paring is petty much just created by the fans. And plus we seen stranger stuff from the fans haven't we? Like modern AU's which I don't care (there just not my cup of tea) for or Arya having the hot's for Jon or vice versa. Really guys really? That's just wrong even if he's not her bother which I doubt (Lyanna/Rhaegar) (promise me Ned/ she was found I a bed a blood) just saying :) they would still be cousins so yewww + yeeww = yuck.


	2. Chapter 2 On the Road to Noware

**Chapter two: On the Road to nowhere**

AN: Holly molly this took a while to create, my apologies for taking so long.

This story was made for none profit, HPO and George R. R. Martin owns Game of thrones.

* * *

Gendry crashed through the brush and undergrowth that surrounded him with all the coordination of a drunken bull. The irony of that stray thought didn't escape the former blacksmith even as he looked over his board shoulders and saw Arya Stark not ten steps behind moving through the thick brush with barely a branch, trig or stone disrupted by her passage. She all but slipped through the tangled undergrowth like water though and open hand. She was almost ever inch a wolf that stalked it's pray. He was certainly glade that she was not a wolf…at least in the traditional sense. He was glad that she was not in fact a wolf and he was not her pray, for if it wasn't for the almost musical laughter that bobbled from her, like water from an underground spring he would never have known she followed him.

He couldn't hold back his own laughter which joined with hers in the morning chorus of bird's songs. He couldn't remember the last them he had this much fun. After his mother had passed much of his childhood had be consumed by the need to survive. It was only by the whim of a stranger that he had found himself apprenticed with Tobho Mott saving him from the street. From that day on his life had been dictated to proving his worth and improving his skill in the ways of blacksmiths, he never really had much of chance for fun. However he relished the chance for once in his misbegotten life to cut loss and have fun and there was no one else in Westeros he would rather to share this rare moment with than Arya Stark.

For a single moment it didn't matter that Westeros was at war and hundreds died, all for the sake of who's ass sat upon the iron throne, nor did it matter that the gold cloaks were after him for some unknown reason. He could even forget if only for a moment about the Night's Watcher uncertain march to the wall and even if he got to the wall he would likely never be graced with her presence again. He could forget about all these things, all that mattered was the he a bastard from flea bottom was being chased by one of the high born daughters of Winter Fell and even that was unimportant. All that matted to him in this moment was he got Arya to smile, not one of her fake smiles the ones that never once reached her grey eyes, know this was a true smile perhaps the first he had ever seen fill her face.

Their fun was not to last as he finally stumbled over the low branches of a weedy bush. Making him collide with the solid form of Yoren's back as the older man had his back to the wood as he finishing making his water, landing them both on their asses.

Following close behind Gendry but not close enough to share in his fate, Arya came to a swift and elegant stop. She took a quick measure of their surroundings. She was surprised to find that they were a fair distance away from the rear of the caravan, perhaps one hundred meters maybe more. She couldn't quite stop the small giggle which chose that moment to escape her at the sight of both men covered in mud. She quickly walked over to help Gendry up and off his ass, a grumpy expression having replaced the easy smile that had filled his broad handsome face moments ago. Despite his deep frown and cross eyes she couldn't help but smirk.

"You should work on your balance" she told him with a chuckle. "If it wasn't for your thick head I'd be worried you do yourself an injury one of these days," Arya said standing up on her toes and lightly tapped his head. Moving far faster than she ever thought possible, Gendry grabbed her thin arm and playfully pinned it behind her back and with his other arm he started tickling her side making her squeal like she had when she was still a little girl. When She and her brothers would pay pranks on the castle savants or their parents and kin.

Yoren pulled himself out of the mud and turned his attention to the tall black smith boy holding Arya with one arm solidly behind her back, his other hand moving up and down her side. Hearing the girl he'd sworn to protect, squeal like a stuck pig was all the provocation he needed. He marched over and slammed a meaty fist into the black haired boy's cheek, sending both the boy and Arya crashing to the ground. Before the former smith could full react to the attack, Yoren followed up with a series of kicks to the boy's lower back, resulting in Gendry letting out a series of pained yelps.

Arya picked herself up as fast as she could and put herself between Gendry and Yoren. "By all the gods Yoren what has gotten into you?" she yelled before Yoren shoved her aside to kick Gendry in the chest, coursing the boy to have a coughing fit. Arya pulled Needle out of its sheath and pressed it to Yoren's side soft enough so not to hurt him but firm and steady enough to convey her threat. "Others help you Yoren if you so much as hit Gendry one more time and I'll run you through," She told the night watchman keeping her voice steely.

He met her steel grey eyes and instantly knew, she wasn't kidding. "Stand aside girl… I'm going to make this flee bottom bastard regret trying to take advantage of a Lord's daughter," Yoren told her. Instead of relenting she pressed her tooth pick of a sword into his side a little harder. Yoren couldn't help but feel confused, 'why wasn't she grateful? He had saved her from being taken advantage of?' "Now see here from where I was standing he had you to rights and you were squealing like pig in heat… I promised ya Lord Father I'd protect you." Yoren told her, his tone indignant.

She lessened the pressure she applied with Needle slightly, easing herself out of her combat stance. "I know that and I thank you for it," she told him not unkindly. "I don't know what you think you saw, but you never need to protect me from Gendry," Arya told him, "Especial when we just having a little fun." She said while sheathing Needle and bending over to give Gendry a hand up. He leaned heavily on her as he wheezed, still recovering from becoming Yoren's practice dummy.

* * *

Yoren glared at her "If that's all it was then how come you two look like a couple of drowned rats?" Yoren asked his voice full of suspicion as he noted that both the Gendry's and Arya's clothes were soaked through and the way the boy leaned into to her as he caught his breath. He knew the two of them had bonded but he had no idea they were this close. He wasn't a prude by any stretch of the imagination, it wouldn't be the first time two future Night Watchmen had gotten 'close' on the road to the Wall or found comfort with some girl they happen across on their journey.

It certainly didn't help matters that it was clear to him that Arya was starting to grow into her looks, he doubted that the remaining Starks would thank him any if their youngest daughter had bedded a no name bastard under his watch. He reached out and grabbed the girl by the scuff of her shirt and pulled her away from the black smith boy making Gendry fall to his ass once again not having the strength at that moment, to hold himself up. "What were you thinking? I sent you of to get some water and you end up soaked to the bone and bedding some bastard" he told her, his voice dripping with menace.

Her eyes widened with shock "What…you think…Me…and Gendry…what NO! That's insane he would never…I would….!" Arya spurted feeling dumbfounded at the sheer audacity of what Yoren was suggesting. "Listen we weren't doing anything like that I swear to the old gods and the new, he really was just helping me with the water but he had to push me in to cover up a little…. Girl Problem I was having…. when Hot pie and Lommey brought me some food…" she said trailing off as a blush filled her face.

"What kind of problem would you need to cover up…?" He asked before his for brain caught up with what the girl was telling him, disbelief filled his face. "No you can't have had …that yet…" Yoren trailed as he paled at the thought "You an't even four and ten yet…"

"Apparently…girls can have their moon blood before then…" Gendry groaned as he sat up, as pain filled his features.

Yoren glared at the younger man. "You stay out of this…" he growled "be thankful that I don't run you through and toss your corpse to those Gold Cloaks!"

Arya broke free of Yoren's iron grip and stared him straight in the eyes, her own burning with anger. "You wouldn't dare! For god's sake he's known I am a girl for gods know how long and that I'm a Stark for the last week, he hasn't told a soul. We can trust him Yoren, I trust him!" she told the older man passionately.

Yoren pinched his brow in irritation as his neck muscles twitched and his skin flushed with anger. "I had one rule…"

* * *

Gendry finally managed to stood up "Maybe you should just give me to the Gold Cloaks anyway" he interrupted between heavy coughs "I mean it makes sense right…I'm a just a bastard black smith from Flea Bottom. I an't got no family at least any that's worth a dam and even Tobin Mott got sick of me and tossed me to the wolves…" he said before meeting Arya's shock filled eyes. "No offence mi'lady…and besides you got near on thirty others to look after you maybe it would be for the best"

Arya couldn't believe what her best friend was saying. "NO….NO you can't be serious Gendry!" she spluttered as all colour drained from her face as she started shaking. She couldn't loss Gendry she had lost enough because of Joffrey and the Queen lies, her father, his house hold guards, Syrio Forel and even Sansa's fate was uncertain. She refused to lose anyone else especially not Gendry. Even though she had only known him for a short while, she couldn't think of spending time apart from him. It would be like losing her father all over again.

She unsheathed Needle once more and put herself between Gendry and Yoren, setting into one of the combat stances that Syrio Forel had drilled into her. She turned to her side to make herself as small a target as possible and braced her legs apart and pointed her sword at Yoren's heart. "You will not take him! Not today, not ever!" she snapped at the Night Watchman her voice dripping with menace.

Gendry slowly stood up, pain raced through his body from where Yoren had kicked and punched him. He put a hand on Arya's left shoulder. "Arya…" he said as his dark blue eyes met her grey. "Do you trust me? Truly trust me?"

Arya blinked unsure why he was asking her if she trusted him, now of all times? "Yes of course" she stated as if doubt could never plant seeds in her mind.

"What if I was captured and they tortured me to get to you?" Gendry asked "all men have their limits" he told her simply.

She shook her head. "Not you Gendry. You wouldn't betray me, I know you" Arya stated.

He couldn't help but smile at her. "It means the world to me that you think that Arya. No one has ever believed in me like that before. But we have the face facts no one is that strong…I mean they even got your farther to lie….To whole realm for the sake of you and your sister," he told her as gently as he could but saw anger flare in her eyes. "And he if raised you. That means he was far stronger man than I could ever hope to be" he told her quietly.

Arya couldn't stop her body from trembling nor the tears which wet her eyes yet she shed not a one of them. "Gen…"

He moved his hand down from her shoulder, along her arm and finally resting his large callused hand on top of hers and pushed her sword down and away from Yoren's chest. "I don't want to die Arya" Gendry told her as he gently took Needle from her hand. "But if it's my life for yours and every ones else's…." he trailed as held Needle length wise in his hands studying it for a moment. He examined the blade while short for a rapier it was perfectly designed and balanced for someone of Arya's height and build. It had a simple yet beautiful elegance to it, with few if any design flourishes. "This really is good metal work" he told her with a chuckle, echoing the first words he had ever spoken to her when they first met, for what felt like a life time ago. "Arya you have to trust me now, ok! Can you do that? And please don't be angry at Yoren." he told her, the only response he got was a nod as she took her blade and sheathed it and stepped back.

Gendry breathed in a heavy sigh and met Yoren's steady gaze. He kneeled, never once breaking eye contact with the other man. "Just promise me you'll get her to Winter Fell" he asked calmly.

Yoren tilted his head and unsheathing his own long sword and lightly pressed it into the black smith's chest. "You're a brave lad…." he told the younger man, as he took the measure of Gendry. The boy was certainly afraid but the strength of his resolve was the likes to which he had rarely seen especial in one so young. He knew with certainty that the world would be a better place if more men took after this bastard. "The girl's right you wouldn't betray her and that's all that matters to me, the Night Watch is lucky to have someone like you, join our ranks" Yoren told him before sheathing his sword and leaning down and grasping the boy's hand and helped him to his feet.

Gendry felt relief flood through him "Thank you"

Yoren shook his head "Don't thank me yet boy… you may well wish for death after she's through with you for that little stunt." His voice full of mirth as he indicated the Stark girl whose face had turned bright red making her resemble a burning ember of a forge. "Arry does anyone else know about you?"

She glared at the two men but before she shook her head she thought better of it "I think that man in the cage the one with red and white hair, Jaqen H'ghar might know I'm a girl but I doubt he knows anything else" Arya said coolly. "If it means anything I don't think he'll tell anyone…and he did save me from those two cage rats." From out the corner of her eye she saw a strange expression cross Gendry's face at her at the mention of Jaqen H'ghar but at the moment she was too angry at him to care what issue he had with the imprisoned man.

"All the same I'll keep my eyes on him" Yoren said shooting a glare in the direction of the cage before he walked toward the caravan. The rest of the boys and men were now finishing up the cleaning of the camp site and preparing the caravan to start moving on. "Come on you ugly sons of whores, what's taking you so long?" Yoren bellowed like an Ox in heat as he started issuing orders and threats in equal measure. The camp became a hive of activity as the last of the mornings chores were finished and the supply and cage wagons were lashed to the donkeys and with the assistance of their human masters were pushed out of the mud.

* * *

Gendry shook his head in mild amusement "That old drunk has got some serious issues…" he trailed of as he felt a heavy smack across the back of his head. He turned just in time to block Arya's next strike. "Gods what was that for?" he asked indigently.

She stared at him for long moment her anger boiling. She lashed out at him with series a of firm pushes "You tick head…bull blooded…DOT" Arya yelled at him. "What was that for? WHAT WAS THAT FOR? ...Like you don't know." She yelled giving him another push but his massive muscular body didn't even budge. "You invited Yoren to kill you…you…YOU!" Arya fumed unable to finish her thought.

"Bull?" Gendry prompted with a smirk. He regretted his smirk almost as soon as it pulled at his mouth, as Arya shot him a glare that would have melted metal.

"This isn't a joke!" she told him her voice utterly serious. "Did you even consider that Yoren might have gone through with it and killed you? No of course not I bet it didn't even cross your mind" Arya fumed, turning her back to him.

"Arya he wouldn't have killed me!" Gendry stated plainly, in an effort to calm her, he tried to put a hand on her left shoulder but she smacked it away and turned her back to him. "Listen to me…Please…"he pleaded but she didn't even turn to glance at him, instead storming off towards the Caravan that was slowly leaving them behind. He trailed after her, his head hanging low. This wasn't like one of their normal arguments; those always resolved themselves fairly quickly. She hadn't been this angry since she had first told him she was a Stark and he started teasing her about it. "Arry please talk to me!" he asked as they caught up with the Caravan, keeping his voice low.

She whipped around as fast as a pit viper her grey eyes blazing "You could be dead in a ditch right now! Gendry the dead boy….do have any idea what that would be like for me? To see another person I care for die?" she told him her eyes misty with unshed tears. "…What you did was stupid and reckless" Arya told him.

He shook his head "I'm telling you he wouldn't have killed me, I know the look men get when they mean to kill someone…I've seen that look many times in Flea Bottom. I've see that look in those three in the cage" he said indicated the men setting in the cage on the largest of the three wagons. "I've seen that same look in your eyes Arry" he told her quietly.

"What do you mean?" Arya asked her gaze soften slightly as she was caught unawares by his admission.

"When we first met…when Hot Pie and Lommey pushed you to the ground and you drew Needle on them. When you told them about how you killed that stable boy…" he said his voice almost a whisper, his gazed of into the distance. "Don't say you were only bluffing because you're not that good a liar" he told quietly. So they wouldn't be overheard, through everyone else seemed to be too preoccupied with the now steady march through the muddy ground. "I saw that same darkness in your eyes…." Gendry emitted.

She kept her own gaze glued to the muddy ground "Gendry…You know I didn't set out to kill that boy…I didn't enjoy it…it was just something I had to do." She told him. "It was him or me…" Arya trailed off as the guilt of that kill ate away at her as it had been ever since she had escaped the Red Keep.

Gendry reached out a hand and gently lifted her chin. He studied her beautiful storm cloud eyes, he saw sadness and regret there, that wasn't the only thing he saw. He saw the flickers of something some dark and terrible abyss. How come someone so young could be so cold? It freighted him even more than having Yoren's sword tip at his chest. They were both silent for a long while.

"Arry I know that… just like I know you don't really need me to protect you from other people." He told her reluctantly, "You need me to protect you from yourself…" he took a long breath "I've heard you whisper to yourself in the dark of night…. when you think everyone else is asleep. What you plan to do with those people that had a hand in your father's death. I've seen that anger fester within you…" he told her earnestly "and it scares me, more that the gold clocks, more that Yoren, more than those three in the cage."

"I would never hurt you Gendry…" she told him earnestly.

He shook his head "That's not what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid that your hate will consume you… that you won't be you anymore! You won't be my friend…. someone I can count on….someone…..someone I care for….." he mumbled as he looked off into the middle distance. "You'll be just a thing that wears the face of my friend but really isn't, it just hates it just kills…. And I don't think I could bear to see that." Gendry told her only now meeting her gaze.

Arya crossed her arms over her chest. "What would you have me do? ... Gendry! Forgive them? They killed my farther, they have my sister held hostage doing God's know what to her….. They need to be stopped" she told him breathlessly as her anger boiled.

He looked to at her and lightly shook his head. "I never said you should forgive them…there is no forgiveness for that the Queen and her brat of son have done to you and yours…" he agreed quietly. "But it's a slippery slope Arry, how long until your anger turns it into something perverse?" he asked.

She looked away. "So what if it does?" Arya told him with a quiet but angry hiss as they caught up other stragglers of the caravan as they slogged through the muck and the mud of the road. She scanned the nearby men and boys, their muttered conversations and complaints drifted in the back ground, none of them were paying her or Gendry much mind. "…I need to make them pay….it's all I've got left…." She muttered her voice barely a whisper.

"That's not true…you still have you brothers…you still have your mother, your home…and they will get you sister back" he told earnestly her but Arya didn't meet his emphatic gaze. He reached out and gripped her shoulder making her regard him with those cold northern eyes. He could just make out his reflection in their grey depths. "You still have Hot Pie, Lommey and me…you still have me" Gendry told her shyly.

* * *

Arya looked up and met his gaze and saw herself, reflected in his storm blue eyes. She felt a heat build within her cheeks and flushed with warmth, she could have sworn that her heart started beating a little faster. "I suppose your right…" she trailed off and stared into the sky, a searching look filling her face.

Gendry fallowed her gaze but found nothing but a slightly cloudy sky in all directions. "Ok…. so what are you looking at?" he asked looking down, feeling slightly dumbfounded by Arya's actions. "Because I can't see anything but clouds"

"Pigs" Arya answered with a coy smirk, dropping her eyes to meet his bemused stare. "I thought for sure I'd see one flying" she said with a snicker. "After all it's not every day that Gendry Waters the bull black smith from Flea Bottom, is right about something."

He just looked at her dumbly for a long moment "Wow….Just wow Arry that was possible the worst joke I have ever heard….. It kind of hurt actually" Gendry told her his voice filled with easy mirth as he placed one of a hand over his heart; a faked pained expression filled his face.

She pouted "Well what do you know? You bull!" Arya said shoving him hard in the chest before she stormed off to where Lommey and Hot Pie were walking a few dozen or so meters a head.

* * *

Gendry made to follow her, until he noticed Jaqen H'ghar staring intently at Arya, from his vantage point inside the iron cage. Annoyance and another emotion he wasn't quite familiar with filled his chest as he saw the much older man eye her with unseemly attention. He walked over to the cage drawing the older man's gaze but not his attention. He returned Jaqen's with as much steel and fire as was contained within him. "What do you want with Arry?"

The fatter of the two other prisoners that shared the cage with Jaqen H'ghar leaned forward "Boy it'll be best not to trouble this one…he isn't normal" the man told him in a low frighten whisper. His skinny friend who was nursing a crudely splinted arm nodded in agreement.

Jaqen H'ghar smiled like a cat playing with its food. "A man wants nothing but to make sure that his little friend is well, the man could not help but notice the black smith boy and sweet boy, argue and, a man hopes all is well." He said with a smile that resembled the grin of a great well fed snake.

Everything about the older man made Gendry's skin crawl and his stomach turn. "Let me make one thing clear to you." He told the older man through gritted teeth "I don't care what you've done or to who…all that matters to me is that you did something bad enough to earn you a place in that cage and my gut tells to me nothing good can come of you! If you ever so much as look at her wrong or do something that leads her down the wrong path…." Gendry trailed sweating with pent up rage.

He leaned forward "There are many paths one can walk in this life…. How does the blacksmith boy know which one is right and wrong? And even if the blacksmith boy could judge such things, what would he do to the man?" Jaqen H'ghar asked with a coy smile.

"I know any path that you've walked cannot be the right one" Gendry told him coldly as he met the other man's unwavering gaze. "And as for what I would do? I would choke the life from your body with my bare hands" he told Jaqen with ever ounce of menace he could muster.

A slightly amused smile pulled at Jaqen H'ghar's lips. "The blacksmith boy need not worry. A man has no interest in hurting his friends. But the blacksmith boy should be careful who he is threating….friends are so hard to come in these lands and perhaps one day the black smith boy will need a man's help." He said quietly before leaning forward until his thin body was pressed up against the bars of the cage, a coy smile pulling at his thin lips. "Perhaps the man should not be the one to worry about hurting the lovely girl. Perhaps the blacksmith boy should look to his own actions instead. Perhaps it is not the man's path which is wrong but the boys…." Jaqen H'ghar's suggested not unpleasantly.

Gendry aimed a power punch right into the center of Jaqen H'ghar's chest sending him backwards with the shock of the impact, the other man quickly recovered and sat up looking more surprised than anything. "That was your one warning stay away from her!" he commanded in a low voice.

A cold predatory smile filled his face as Jaqen H'ghar watched the boy walk off to join the small girl and the other two boys that were of no interest to him. 'A Stark girl and one of the Baratheon bastard's' Jaqen thought to himself, letting a small chuckle escaped from a mouth that was not his. "This shall be an interesting journey" he told the two other prisoners giving them a smile that had them cowering at the far end of the cage as he retook his set and started whistling a merry tune.

By the time Gendry rejoined their small group of friends the day had well and truly arrived beating back the last of the cool morning air as the suns merciless rays beat down on the Night Watch caravan's weary travelers. While some attempts at conversation, were made they soon meandered into silence as they marched ever onwards. However much to both Arya's and Gendry's amazement and surprise the other two of their small group Hot Pie and Lommy they continued to have the energy to joke, talk and complain disputed the sun and the heat that beet down on them.

* * *

Arya barely payed attention to their conversation, which had like most of their conversations, she had come to realize in a very short time of knowing the two boys. Was a mix of complaining and what she liked to call boy bluster.

Her foot falls felt increasingly heavy as she struggled to stifle a yarn as her mind started to wonder. She felt a deep and profound yearning to return to the ever cold air that hung over Winter Fell. She longed for the cool breeze and taking dips in the local springs that some said were blessed by the Children of the Forest as even in the deadliest and coldest of winters never froze. It was through these springs that the great keep of Winter Fell was forever kept at a consent temperature. Bran the builder the progenitor of the Stark line builder of the Wall and Winter Fell as well as most of the keeps holding and wonders that doted the North had found some way to channel the warm waters of the springs into the walls and floors of the great keep.

Arya's mind drifted as her eyes felt increasing heavy. She dreamily recalled the legacy of her ancient blood line and the happier times of her childhood before King Robert came and the ill times that followed. She fondly recalled a boy she had played. Yorggan he worked in the Winter Fell kitchens had something of a crush on Sansa about two years back. Sansa never noticed his affections or how the scrawny red headed river lands boy had fallowed her round like a puppy.

Sansa herself had at the same time being mooning over some visiting Knight's son who was just as self-absorbed. The irony that he barley glanced at her had brought much mirth to the other Stark siblings.

The memories filled her mind pushing the present into the back ground. Her eyes closed but she kept moving forward like a how a chicken without a head. The sights the sounds and smells of her home filled her to the brim.

The summer flowers where in full bloom, the sky was grey and overcast. A slight chill filled the air. Fat bees worked tirelessly to harvest nectar for their ever hungry hives, here and their rabbits munched on the vegetables and other plants, grown in the massive gardens. Cheeky and playful squirrel's played in the massive old and weathered trees that provided a nice cool shade for the gardens, birds big and small danced though the chilly air.

Robb, Jon, Theon Greyjoy and herself sat on one of the low walls around the gardens watching the knights son stroll through Winter fells gardens followed by a moon eyed Sansa who was in turn followed by a love stuck Yorggan. A slight grimace pulled at Arya's lips as she and her brothers and Theon sat on the garden wall watching the parade of fools.

Arya hid her face between her hands as the first notes of Sansa 'love song' drifted lazily over to them. Sansa may have being blessed with their Mothers Tully good looks but she could not hold a tune to save her life. The notes she tried to belt out ranged between a cat being straggled and a fish gasping for breath. The expression that filled the knights, son's face was clear to everyone in the gardens save Sansa who was blissfully ignorant of the bewilderment and horror that filled his handsome features.

"You see I wasn't exaggeration! This is what I've had to put up with ever since Mother has forced me to take singing lessons with Sansa… two years of this Robb! I'm begging you! I don't know how much longer I can endure this!" Arya pleaded making her eyes go as wide as possible.

"I don't know how you've lasted this long Arya…" Theon said with a devilish smirk "I would have thrown myself from the highest tower after a day of having to listen to that…but look on the bright side if she gets married of some dick. She can always sing him to death…" he said with a hearty laugh.

Jon reached over Arya as she sat between him and Theon and slapped him across the back of the head. "That's my sister your talking about Greyjoy show some respect"

Theon rubbed his head and anger frown pulling at his mouth "What's it matter to you Snow? It an't like she holds you in high regard there is too much of her Mother in her…and we all..."

"Finish that sentence Theon…" Robb stated his normal calm and even temped voice now deep and dripping with an unstated threat.

Arya was taken aback by the sudden change in the atmosphere. "Hay, hay now let's all calm down right! And get back to what's important…"

"Since when has my baby sister the one trying to defuse an argument…who are you and what you done with our little she wolf?" Robb asked with a good natured smirk replacing the dark look that had briefly filled his face.

Jon looked at his little sister, his left eyebrow razed "He has a point; normally you'd be one adding wood to the fire. What's the matter?" Jon asked wrapping one arm around her small frame and with his free hand, started ruffling her braided hair, making a mess out of it.

"Ahhh JON stop…" she shrieked. Jon did so as a bewildered expression filled his face, one shared by both Robb and Theon. "You don't know how long it takes for the Septa to braid my hair…" Arya wined as she started to re-braid the loosened locks of dark brown hair, which fell across her face. Seeing their expressions of confusion "I've got better things to do then to have the Septa waste hours of my life trying to make me a copy of Sansa and Mother...three hours out of a day is bad enough…"

"Maybe if you cleaned you hair like lady Catelyn asked…oww" Theon trailed off as Arya elbowed him in the gut.

She glared at her family's ward "The day I start acting like Sansa and chasing boys, you strap me to a mast of a ship and send me into a maelstrom for I would have lost my mind…" Arya told them firmly.

"Maybe you won't always feel that way" Robb said quietly. Jon and Theon both turned and looked at him like he had grown two heads.

"Robb… I would stop their before she starts planning some…." Jon trailed of as he saw Arya looked away profound sadness filling her small round face. "Arya what's wrong…?" he asked nervously.

She gulped nervously "Well Robb's not half wrong is he? I mean its bound to happen one day isn't it? … as much as I don't like the idea…I'll start to grow up and I'll start to change…like Sansa did…I mean ya sure she always had her head in the clouds but the whole…. well that…!" she said pointing to her Sister who was still following the Knights son around singing her heart out as the Knight's son in turn desperately searching for a way to escape. "Only started happening recently…but that's not the problem is it?" Arya asked her face grave.

"It's not?" Theon asked scratching his stubbed chin.

She shook her head. "It's not about liking boys or even girls or whatever….or even falling in love… Gods help me if that does ever happens…. That's not what I have an issue with!" she stated staring at the ground. "It's that I have no choice in who I might one day marry….Mother and Father will arrange for me to be given to some other noble family and I will be handed over like a breeding cow. I'll have to stay in some far of tower and expected to please my husband…to care for him…to have...his...children" she said visible shuddering at the thought. "I'll never be able to see the world or do anything. I'll while away my years as he goes off and wins battels and glory and bed whoes…" she trailed of as she started to sniff.

Jon held her close in a brotherly embrace "I promise you little wolf if any man treats you like that I would run him through, with a sword" he told her a warm grin pulling at his mouth.

"You'll have to get in line Jon!" Robb said "As the eldest I get first go at any hoe son who treated any of my family like that, which includes you too Theon." He said his words filled with confidence and good mirth "And I'm sure Father and Mother wouldn't just give you away… they would find you the right match…." Robb trailed of as both Joe and Theon glared at him.

Theon shook his head and pinched his noise "You really need to work on your way with girls Robb"

"For once I agree with Greyjoy… you've made things worse…" Jon told his elder.

"Oh shut up both of you…. it's not like either of you are worldly men." Robb said puffing up his chest. As the conversation derailed Robb, Jon and Theon failed noticed Arya slink away like a cat.

* * *

She walked through the castle grounds, a few of her friends among the serving children greeted her as she passed them but sensing her poor mood did not approach. Arya soon found herself as she often did when her mood soured or she needed time to think, in the God's Wood.

The great wood was still and quiet as it had always been and always would be, it was as if time it-self and the weight of the world had no hold here. Her teachers had told her of great storms that could cover entire lands and lay waste to whole kingdoms, but in center of these cyclones and hurricanes there was an, island of calm were all was still and peaceful, they called it the eye of the storm. They said it was like the whole World was holding its breath, it was the same here in the God's wood.

Great oak trees towered over her, weeping willows swayed softly in the light breeze, fields of wild flowers grew thick upon the ground, buttercups and hardy winter roses nodded their heads as she brushed past them. She soon reached the very heart of this place and the tree that had stood long before Bran the builder built the great Keep of Winter Fall Ten thousand years ago in the age of heroes and would stand long after she and her family were dust in the wind.

The Heart tree, its bark was as white and pure as fresh snow, its leaves the very colour of blood, its thick knotted roots spread out above and below the ground in ever direction. It was said that its roots spread for miles in every direction and some said tapped into the world bones. Its thick branches reached out to form a thick canopy. Few trees seemed willing to try and take root near even the farthest and smallest branch. Those that did seemed to almost bend out of the way. In respect of this the King of trees, 'No not king.' Arya thought to herself, the God of trees, plants and the wild places of the World.

It's aged bark was almost completely smooth, expect for the weeping face that had been carved into to steel strong wood. Red tears of the trees blood red sap ran down from the carved face as if it had been carved only yesterday, when in fact it had being carved tens of thousands of years ago.

No matter how many times she saw that ancient carving or entered the god wood it always took away her breath.

"You seemed troubled my little wolf." A deep soothing voice came from somewhere behind her.

Arya didn't need to turn to know who it was but she did anyway. Her father stood there leaning against an old willow tree which was covered in moss. "Father…" she exclaimed happily as she wrapped her small arms around his massive body that was so wide and thick with well-kept muscle she had could not all reach half way around his back.

He held his youngest daughter, silence filling the still air for a long time. His deep steel grey eyes shone with the deepest depths of parental love.

After what felt like an age she looked up to meet his unwavering gaze "This is only a dream isn't it? Arya asked him looking up into those imposing yet imposable kind eyes.

He didn't say anything he didn't need to, he didn't even need to nod his head. His wreathed face, spoke more than words or actions ever could.

Arya felt tears streaked down her face. "Why! Why did you have to die father… we could have left Kings landing at any time and you and all the others we lost would still be alive…it's not fair….you were taken from us….YOU WERE TAKEN FROM ME!" she wailed as hands beat into his firm chest.

He took every blow she rained against his chest until her arms fell away too sure to continue "It's not fair" Arya wept.

"Life seldom is but you have to be strong my little wolf, Winter is coming" her father said his voice becoming a distant echo.

She looked up at to meet his steal eyes one last time but he was gone.

XXXX

Arya stirred into wakefulness, "Winter is coming" the Stark words slipping form her lips, some ware between a whispered promise and a pray.

"So you decided to rejoin us Huum?" Gendry's clear deep voice banished the last of her dream from her mind.

Arya tried to cling to the memory of her child hood and the Gods wood and her father but they fell through the crakes in her mind like sand through her fingers. It took her a moment to realize that she was riding on Gendry's shoulders like a horse her legs either side of his chest just under his arm pits, his hands were lightly gripping her lower legs to keep her from falling off, her arms mad for a make shift pillow which her head lay upon. "Wh...What happened? Arya asked her voice heavy with sleep.

"You literally fell asleep on your feet…" he told her with a warm smirk. "I knew you were stubborn but sleep walking to the Wall was taking it a bit far don't you think?" he asked quietly as a playful smirk pulled at his mouth "So I settled you on my back and we been walking like this for most of the day." Gendry told her as he indicated the bright sun that was started to dip toward the west as it started to set.

"I'm sorry…I didn't realize…umm you can let me down now" Arya told him sheepishly

Gendry shook his head a good natured chuckle rumbling through his broad form. "It no problem you're pretty light…and you make a pretty good sun shade." He told her slyly.

She pressed her torso down over his head and dangled her face upside down in front of his. "What would I do without you?" Arya asked teasing.

He smiled shyly as her breath tickled his face "Find someone else to twist around your little finger?" Gendry answered, she smirked and pulled herself up and lightly kicked her legs into his firm chest.

"that would never happen..." she whispered

"What did you say?" Gendry asked quizzically.

"Onwards to the wall great steed… Or should I say bull?" Arya asked.

"Bull I think after all horse and wolf just doesn't have the same ring as the bull and the wolf dose it?" Gendry asked.

"Neither really roll's of the Tung" She told him smirking "But Bull and wolf…." She said mulling over the words. "Has a certain charm to it….you better not make a habit of having good ideas Gendry Waters because that my job"

He smirked "I wouldn't worry about that mi'lady" he told her but Arya had already fallen asleep, and making a pillow with her arms, she started to lightly snore. He looked off into the horizon as the sun dipped further, were menacing storm clouds were starting to form. "You better rest now because a storms coming"

Next chapter: Rain and Ruin.

AN: Please review

I originally wanted to make this a shorter chapter but it kind of got away from me. I hope you all enjoyed this. I promise the plot will start soon more than likely in the next chapter I hope your all ready.

I know this has been slow start to the story but I really wanted to explore Arya and Gendry's relationship before things are kicked into high gear and the bad stuff starts happening. Believe me nothing would make me happier then just having a road trip fan fiction were they can just have fun and slowly fall in love but sadly that wouldn't be true to the Game of Thrones Universe and even though this is an AU. I can't betray the core of the universe but I can tweak it to remove some unpleasant stuff.

Some of you may be wondering about Arya's little speech about love when both 'show' Arya and 'book' Arya have never shown much of an interest in romance.

This is just my opinion but I believe that most of her dislike of Marriage comes from the fact that more than she was going to be forced into it. Shed lose her freedom because of her duty to her family. (Though I don't think she would run away, from her family because this. More than likely whomever she was forced to marry would come to a rather sickly end)

Here's the thing though, I don't think she would be against love or falling in love but it would be on her terms.


End file.
